The present invention relates to a combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with incorporated remaining use counter and more particularly pertains to allowing toothpaste to be added to the toothbrush from an interior of the toothbrush while keeping track of remaining uses prior to disposal.
The use of combination toothbrush devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, combination toothbrush devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of aiding in the brushing of teeth are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,984 to Gaebel discloses a combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with an indicator window and a hand operated plunger for advancing the paste. U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,563 to Turner and U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,977 to Kuo disclose additional combination toothbrush devices with toothpaste dispensers incorporated.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with incorporated remaining use counter for allowing toothpaste to be added to the toothbrush from an interior of the toothbrush while keeping track of remaining uses prior to disposal.
In this respect, the combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with incorporated remaining use counter according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of allowing toothpaste to be added to the toothbrush from an interior of the toothbrush while keeping track of remaining uses prior to disposal.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with incorporated remaining use counter which can be used for allowing toothpaste to be added to the toothbrush from an interior of the toothbrush while keeping track of remaining uses prior to disposal. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
In the view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of combination toothbrush devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with incorporated remaining use counter. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with incorporated remaining use counter which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a toothbrush portion comprised of an elongated hollow handle having an incorporated head portion. The elongated hollow handle includes an internal channel. The head portion has a plurality of openings in communication with the internal channel. The head portion has a plurality of bristles extending outwardly thereof. The handle has an elongated slide track formed therein. The slide track is in communication with the internal channel. The handle holds a quantity of toothpaste within the internal channel. A slide member is slidably coupled with the slide track of the elongated hollow handle of the toothbrush portion. The slide member has an internal plunger disposed within the internal channel of the elongated hollow handle. The slide member slides within the slide track whereby the internal plunger will force the toothpaste out of the plurality of openings of the head portion and onto the bristles. A counter is disposed within the elongated hollow handle of the toothbrush portion. The counter is in communication with the internal channel for determining a remaining amount of toothpaste disposed therein. The counter has an indicator displaying a number of uses remaining prior to disposal.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with incorporated remaining use counter which has all the advantages of the prior art combination toothbrush devices and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with incorporated remaining use counter which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with incorporated remaining use counter which is of durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with incorporated remaining use counter which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with incorporated remaining use counter economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with incorporated remaining use counter for allowing toothpaste to be added to the toothbrush from an interior of the toothbrush while keeping track of remaining uses prior to disposal.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser with incorporated remaining use counter including a toothbrush portion comprised of an elongated hollow handle having an incorporated head portion. The elongated hollow handle includes an internal channel. The head portion has a plurality of openings in communication with the internal channel. The head portion has a plurality of bristles extending outwardly thereof. The handle holds a quantity of toothpaste within the internal channel. An internal plunger is disposed within the internal channel of the elongated hollow handle. The internal plunger will force the toothpaste out of the plurality of openings of the head portion and onto the bristles. A counter is disposed within the elongated hollow handle of the toothbrush portion. The counter is in communication with the internal channel for determining a remaining amount of toothpaste disposed therein. The counter has an indicator displaying a number of uses remaining prior to disposal.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.